Projects

Joint Meetings

My research focuses on the investigation of physical processes and properties of the
Earths crust, lithosphere, and upper mantle using measurements, modeling and interpretation
of active deformations occurring over seismic to geologic time scales. I use both
traditional and high-rate GPS geodetic data and seismology to measure motions associated
with earthquakes, intra- and inter-plate deformations associated with the earthquake
cycle and its integration into orogeny, postseismic deformation, plate tectonics,
and crustal and isostatic responses to variations in crustal loading. I have active
field research projects in the central and southern Andes of South America, Antarctica,
the Andaman-Nicobar region of the Great 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, and the New
Madrid seismic zone.

The Andes are one of the worlds major mountain belts with major along strike tectonic
and climatic variations that provide numerous reseaerch targets. My research in the
Andes includes understanding of the kinematics and dynamics of the tectonic processes
involved in their development by the Nazca-South America subduction system from fault
to orogen wide scales. The South American and Andaman projects also focus on the cycle
of large and great interplate earthquakes, including postseismic deformations associated
with the great earthquakes that occur on subduction plate boundaries. In Antarctica
and Patagonia, in addtion to tectonics, we seek to improve our understanding of the
response of the crust, lithosphere and upper mantle to surface loading and to use
this response to constrain loading history due to climate change. In the New Madrid
area my research addresses questions about earthquake occurrence in stable continental
regions and the stresses, as expressed by regional deformation, that generate these
earthquakes.

I am also interested in using computer modeling and graphics for STEM education. The
animation above, for example, shows the frequency domain integrand (top) and its Fourier
sum into the time domain (bottom) as two traveling delta functions.